


You Cannot Break It, Not With A Thousand Swords

by ominousrum



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, S6 fix it fic because of reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 10:57:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11012040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ominousrum/pseuds/ominousrum
Summary: He has to tell her. They can’t start a future with his past looming over their heads like a scythe ready to slice them through.





	You Cannot Break It, Not With A Thousand Swords

Killian Jones is elated. Each step he takes he feels lighter, as if he will somehow ascend into the heavens and meet with Zeus again to tell him of his good fortune. Emma Swan, the love of his life, has agreed to marry him and all is right with the world. 

Except it isn’t. 

He should be celebrating and downing an unhealthy amount of drinks at Granny’s, smile splitting his face in two as he talks of the happiest day of his life thus far. Instead his mind goes back to the wretched place that led him to drown his guilt in rum.

He _has_ to tell her. They can’t start a future with his past looming over their heads like a scythe ready to slice them through. 

“Emma, love, before we share this news there’s something I must talk to you about,” Killian lets the words slip haltingly from his throat, pushing away the fear rising in his stomach.

“Of course. You know you can tell me anything.” Emma’s smile is watery and full of far too much love; more than he rightly deserves he thinks, as he takes her hand to lead her to the sofa. 

“I’m sorry this isn’t the right moment for it but I can’t bear keeping this from you.”

“Killian-” Emma’s hand tangles with the hair at the nape of his neck and her jade eyes burn with concern. 

“The other day after I had spent time with your father, something from my past caught up with me again.”

“Okay.”

“Your friend, the wooden man, gave me pages that were missing from the storybook.”

“Missing?”

“Aye. The pages showed that I was the one who-” Killian swallows and it feels like shards of glass. He’s loathe to see the love fall from her face but he must continue. “I killed David’s father. Your grandfather. Back when I was a bloodthirsty pirate.”

Emma closes her eyes and it’s all he can do to keep his open, searching her face for the moment he fears most of all. “Fate really is cruel, isn’t it?”

There’s no bitterness in her tone but he feels it slink into his veins nonetheless. 

“I didn’t know when I bought-” Killian sucks in a breath, somewhat surprised his lungs are still working. “I didn’t want to ruin this, Swan.”

When Emma opens her eyes the tears have already slid down his face. She lifts a hand to wipe them from his cheeks.

“It isn’t ruined.” She affirms, reaching for his hand as he can only stare at her. “You needed to tell me and now you have.”

“I’m sorry, Swan. I wish I could do something to change what I did. More than anything.”

“You have done things to change the person you used to be. You’re not that man anymore.” Her voice is soft but strong and Killian wants nothing more than to rest within it until the last black spot in his heart fades away. 

“But David-”

“We need to talk to him, yes. And we will. But I’m not the only one who knows you’ve changed.” Emma bends to press a kiss to his temple and a sliver of happiness winds its way back into his heart. 

“I don’t think he’ll ever forgive me, Swan. I can’t believe you do.”

“Hey what do you think this whole true love thing is, anyway?” Emma grins at him, nudging him with her elbow. “We’ve been through a lot as a family and we can get through this.”

Killian pulls her close, needing to wrap his arms around the woman whose faith in him is astoundingly unshaken. 

“Whatever I did to deserve you, Swan, I’ll spend the rest of my days grateful for it.”


End file.
